Syracuse basketball may have interest in 5-star junior, No. 2 center in class

With AAU events this spring having commenced and this past weekend serving as an NCAA live period, coaches from Syracuse basketball and many other high-major programs around the country are checking out top-flight prospects on the Nike, Under Armour and Adidas circuits.

One of the top AAU teams on the Nike EYBL tour, at least according to some pre-season projections, is the New Jersey Scholars Elite Basketball Club.

This group has a loaded roster, including 2023 five-star point guard D.J. Wagner, who was offered by the ‘Cuse this past August, as well as 2023 five-star center Aaron Bradshaw, who has reportedly received interest from the Orange coaching staff.

The 6-foot-3 Wagner is the consensus No. 1 player in the junior class. He attends Camden High School in Camden, N.J., and throughout his recruitment, national analysts have directed a lot of buzz toward Kentucky, although Louisville and its new head coach, Kenny Payne, may be entering the mix for Wagner.

The 7-foot Bradshaw, meanwhile, is Wagner’s teammate on the New Jersey Scholars Elite Basketball Club, as well as for Camden High School. Bradshaw is a consensus top-25 overall player in the 2023 cycle, and numerous recruiting services rate him as the No. 2 center in this class.

Syracuse basketball recently checked out two five-star players in the junior cycle.

Last month, we noted a tweet from Pro Insight director of scouting Andrew Slater that the ‘Cuse was in attendance during a recent Camden High School game.

And just this past weekend, during a live period for the Nike EYBL where contests were held in Orlando, Fla., both Wagner and Bradshaw played quite well, according to media reports.

College basketball insider Adam Zagoria said via Twitter that Syracuse basketball assistant coach Gerry McNamara was watching Wagner and Bradshaw during at least one session in the Sunshine State.

The Orange has offered scholarships to a handful of big men in the 2023 cycle, although I have to profess that I’m really high on Bradshaw, who recently finished up his junior year at Camden High School.

According to recruiting services, he holds at least 15 offers from college squads such as Kentucky,  LSU, Oklahoma State, Bryant, DePaul, Miami, Maryland, UCLA, Texas A&M, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Rutgers and Penn State. Bradshaw has taken official visits to both LSU and Oklahoma State, per recruiting Web sites.

During the EYBL session in Orlando, On3 national analyst Joe Tipton noted that Bradshaw collected 22 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, and two assists in one encounter.

"Tipton wrote in part about him, “The seven-footer was seeing the ball go through the net and it ignited his energy, translating to the other side of the court. Bradshaw’s upside is massive and he’s just scratching the surface.”"

I really, really hope that Syracuse basketball coaches continue to show interest in Aaron Bradshaw. He’s the goods.